Don’t blame Islam for terrorism

A mosque in Cold Lake, Alberta, shown in this handout image, was being cleaned up after a brick was thrown through its windows and a "go home" message was painted on the wall in October 2014. PHOTO: THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Val Young

We immigrated to Canada fourteen years ago. It was the year that affected world peace in the worst way possible; it was the year 9/11 happened. A bunch of suicide bombers claiming to be “Muslims” hijacked a plane that eventually crashed into the Twin Towers. Hundreds of people lost their precious lives and many families were left to live with a hole in their hearts without their loved ones. There have been many conspiracy theories about this incident, some claiming it to be an inside job, however what emerged as a result of the horrific incident is a term, or concept, called: Islamic terrorism.

Although we weren’t in the United States, it was a rather scary time period in Canada as well where incidents of random people pulling hijabs off Muslim girls’ heads were being reported. I used to cover my head in those days, not with a hijab per say but, with a dupatta every time I went outdoors. I was recommended by a few women in the community to stop doing it for the sake of my safety and security. They wanted me to “assimilate” into the “Canadian society” where no one could identify me as a “Muslim”.

I couldn’t do that! I was scared, as I came from a very sheltered atmosphere and family dynamic, but at the same time I believed in the ‘Canadian mosaic’ that we were being taught about at our high school, about all of us being a part of the same assortment. Thankfully, my belief didn’t shatter with time and age.

Post 9/11, the world changed and for the worse.

Iraq war followed and much more happened in various parts of the world. Sadly, the actions of a handful of Muslims began to represent all the Muslims. Many around the world generalised a Muslim for being a terrorist; many others didn’t. The world is still in its place because of the people who know that the actions of minority cannot represent that of a majority.

Just a couple days after the Paris massacre, a mosque was burnt down in Peterborough, Ontario causing the mosque damage of approximately $50,000. It was deemed a hate crime by the police. Thankfully the incident caused no causalities or fatalities. On Monday, two Caucasian men approached a Muslim woman in a Toronto area, pulled her hijab off and beat her up, all while telling her to leave Canada and move back to “her country”. This incident happened in front of a school where the woman had gone to pick her kids up from. The police have also found anti-Muslim graffiti near the Flemingdon Park area.

Being a Canadian Muslim, I want to ask the perpetrators how their actions benefitted Canada, a country known around the world as peace loving? How did pulling a hijab off a woman’s head help the victims of the Paris massacre? How did burning of the Peterborough mosque help in consoling the victims in France? It didn’t help anyone; meaningless hate brings no benefit to anyone. Hitler was a terrorist who committed genocide and killed millions of Jews; he was a Christian. Should I hate every Christian for Hitler’s actions?

George W Bush invaded Iraq and killed thousands of people for a purpose only he can justify. He was a Christian as well. Not very long ago, a few news channels (not all of them, sadly) were telecasting the plight of the Muslims in Myanmar that were stuck between waters and no country was ready to give them refuge; they ran from their country because they were being killed by Buddhist Monks. Is Buddhism to be blamed for the actions of those monks?

No, no and no.

I believe every religion teaches the lesson of humanity; it teaches us to love our fellow humans. If certain delusional individuals decide to twist the ideologies it should be accredited to their lack of intellect and humanity. The religion and the institution must not be blamed for it.

My short comings as an individual do not justify you blaming it on Islam, just as Hitler’s actions do not justify any person blaming it on Christianity.

Last month, the Muslims of Canada voted for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the leader of their country. They voted for him because he believes,

“A Canadian is a Canadian is a Canadian.”

They voted for him because of his inclusive approach towards every Canadian regardless of race and religion. He believed in and portrayed the ‘Canadian mosaic’ that we were taught about in school. People voted for Trudeau because he showed compassion towards the Syrian refugees and considered them ‘human’, an act that was completely missing from the former government.

What happened in Paris was a crime against humanity, a crime that is sadly repeated in many parts of the world frequently. I believe in the uniformity of human kind and for that sake, I believe a human life lost in Europe is as important as a human life lost in Pakistan.

The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of The Express Tribune.

Madhur

Hina,
Hitler’s christianity was non existent. He was an atheist, who was impressed by Islam’s political implications. The Myanmar Buddhists did not quote any Buddhist tenet to justify their actions. Their justifications were racial, i.e. that they were true Burmese, fighting the outsiders. However the terrorists of 9 11 and ISIS both used quotes from the Quran to justify their actions. This does not make their interpretation right.

However the fact that those quotes were available to them, makes it different from the other two kinds of terrorists you mentioned. So your equivalence is false, and just to make you feel better.

Any ideology that justifies the superiority of one of kind of people over the other, where the other people are expendable or guilty causes this. Nazism had it, the basis being racial. All semitic religions have it in their literal interpretations. The West or the christian world has moved towards atheism or at least dropping those literal interpretations. Islam, the youngest is yet to go through that maturation phase.

If you dont believe me, consider how many Muslims still believe in death for apostasy. Also the fact that you can come in but not leave, is really like communist countries not letting their citizens out and shooting them at the gates is it not? GDR, North Korea, they all did it. It indicates being unsure of oneself in a world where one’s views seem increasingly wrong. And lashing out violently at the world, in a state of self doubt, is veritably a child’s reaction.

A good article. Unfortunately, the terrorists quote certain verses from Quran justifying their barbaric actions. I am not sure whether these verses were inserted later or just not in tune with the modern world and ought to be ignored. the word “jihad” is one of the most misused words. It is better to delete this from every dictionary.Every where, it is justified as “retaliation” . Buddhists justify their action by quoting Talibans’ destroying Buddha statue. Somewhere these retaliatory actions shall be stopped and people have to have a humane approach.Recommend

Nice article, also please don’t blame crimes commited by some to other Canadians. Don’t say Canada is intolerant or West. Just few individuals are terrorists, and few individuals attack muslims. It is just that.Recommend

genesys

lThere is no conspiracy theory behind 9/11 or 26/11.They are facts and only people living in bubble believe it to be so and it these attitudes that raises the bile of the locals.Recommend

Parisian

Please stop feeding the menace of “muslim victimhood” as it is main reason for radicalisation. Also, Islam may not be to blame for terrorism, but the inability of the Muslim world to resolve the sunni-shia conflict which is the main cause of all strife in the Middle East is to be blamed.Recommend

19640909rk .

“My short comings as an individual do not justify you blaming it on Islam, just as Hitler’s actions do not justify any person blaming it on Christianity.”

A standard Islamist rant of equating Hitler with Christianity. Hitler was defeated by Christians from Europe and USA. Not a single Muslim was involved. Muslims wer supporting him (Palestinian muslims). 50 million Christians and 6 million jews died inW2. Do N OT use it for your Islamist propaganda.

Where are the Muslims fighting ISIS. There are powerful Muslim nations surrounding ISIS – Turkey, Iran, Saudis etc. Everybody is watching and laughing at the west.Recommend

LS

If the author is asking NOT to blame Islam for terrorism then why most of the terrorists today are followers of Islam? From January to November there have been 4 attacks in France:
1) Charie Hebdo
2) Killing of Jews in supermarket
3) Highspeed Train attack (Caught by Americans when the terrorist’s gun was stuck)
4) Attack in Paris – Current one.

All of these are done by people following Islam. This is just one Nation in a 11 months. There are many more across the world and most are Muslims. If these people continue to attack it is natural for other human beings to retaliate against others. Just like when people see a snake, the snake is promptly killed. No one goes on to determine if they are poisonous or non-poisonous, or going to bite them or not. He gets killed. A least in all these hate crimes the person wasn’t killed had it have been a Muslim country non-Muslims would have lost their lives.

So, when you cannot treat people of other religion fairly in your own countries you got no moral right to complain that your kind isn’t being treated fairly.

Lastly, Comparison with Hitler is lame. He was not fighting for Christians he was fighting for Germany and Germany did suffer because of it. In that same effort should I blame the Muslims of Arabia for killing more than 180 Million of Christians, Hindus as part of their religious conquest from Spain to Philippines? For Muslims it has always been religion first.

If you are talking about Bush then it would have made sense if people from Iraq would attack US or US interests around the world but not everybody who comes in your way. What have syrains got to do with Iraq? What did Yezhidis do? What was the fault of Parisians? If you look at ISIS they are NOT bitter because US attacked them they want to install a Muslim religious Caliphate and will attack everyone who comes in their quest the author is over simplifying it and Justifying the attack.Recommend

Jor El

“Hitler was a terrorist who committed genocide and killed millions of
Jews; he was a Christian. Should I hate every Christian for Hitler’s
actions”
There is a difference. Recommend

silversurfer

The problem is simple, when US bombed vietnam and cambodia, panama and serbia, how many of vietnamese, cambodians, panamanians, and serbians, went inside US or any other euro country and attacked people on a large scale.

US is a hegemonic power, and its hegemony has been consolidated by many muslim states, condemning US govts is absolutely right, many americans do it more themselves.

There are problems in muslim communities, that need to be resolved as well. Please think about it.Recommend

ajeet

But the guys who did that are using Koran as justification and are using muslim God’s name before committing violence. Recommend

http://peddarowdy.wordpress.com/ Anoop

Isn’t it better to question an idea or an ideology, than to question Muslims?

I’m sure you agree each idea is inherently different, each Religion has its quirks and influences its followers in different ways. If it didn’t they wouldn’t be considered different! We need to constantly question and compare ideas; how they impact people’s lives – positively and negatively. We have seen Islam influence its populations very negatively.

When it comes down to it, Pakistanis agree with this too! In their National Action Plan, they are targetting Mosques and Madressahs which churn out Radicals, while there is no mention of targetting convents, Temples, Churches and Gurudwaras. When non-Muslims get practical and target communities which are responsible for Terror, Muslims complain its Islamophobia, while they have no problem targetting Mosques, but not Temples.

Lets not hesitate to debate ideas and their impact on people.Recommend

Sami

Miss Hina Kashif you live in Canada and in a Minority we Muslims behave in the best manner.. But do you know when recently France got attacked then around 90 percent of my very educated friends were infact happy about it. The situation on the streets was no different in Pakistan. So May be you will be tolerant but in general a huge Muslim population is intolerant and celebrate murder of the Non-Muslims at the same time.
Also in the world now you have to practice what you have to preach. The day Muslim countries will be as peaceful as the West then everyone will agree with the Muslims that we are peaceful. Until then rather than Preaching the West, let us preach our Fellow Muslims to be more tolerant and accommodating.

There are no protests against ISIS by any Majority Muslim group in any Islamic country. Also JI and Major Islamic organizations are silent on it. This is a question mark on its own.Recommend

A very nice article giving prospective of a Muslim women living in Canada a secular country. My daughter also lives in Canada and is a Canadian citizen. May I attempt to give prospective from other side. Nobody blames Islam for hatred or terror, it is the teachings being practiced in many madrasas and preaching of many clerics in mosques that are resulting in acts by some Muslims that is projecting Islam as a violent religion. The wahabi sect which is being spread with a lot of vigour is projecting Islam as an intolerant religion that does not accept even accepts shias, bohras, ismailis or aga khanis as muslims and waging a jihad against them. Secondly Muslims all over the world refuse to accept the culture, practices and traditions of those very country where they have settled and accepted its citizenship. They try hard not to assimilate with the society they have chosen and keep projecting themselves as different and with superior values. Moreover, some how the Muslims all over the world fail to raise strong voices against these acts of violence. They are also failing to take strong actions against those who are spreading hate or take planned action to correct teaching in madarsa or preachings in mosques.Recommend

Rohan

Atleast condemn the attack instead of playing the victim card
The post reads like “I don’t care how many people are killed by Islamic terrorists but Islam shouldn’t be criticised”
There’s a word why ‘Islamic terrorists’ is well known nowRecommend

Time Is Up

“Hitler was a terrorist who committed genocide …; he was a Christian…”
This is the most stupid statement I ever heard.
I hope you AGREE that in the current context, all the terrorists who are doing rotten acts happen to be Muslims, who are eager to go to paradise.
Whenever conflicts happen, there are choices in front of the leaders who have to face defeat – take the path of regrouping and revenge or path of peace (retreat, reconciliation, introspection forgiveness etc). Muslims for most part have resorted to revenge and settling of score, that leads to more problems.
People of other faith tend to go towards forgiveness. West has done horrible things to Buddhists (Vietnam, Cambodia, Japan, Korea, China, Srilanka), Hindus/Sikhs (British India), Jews (Germany, Poland, Russia, Pharaohs Egypt), they all have reconciled and moved on. Even among these there were problems, who did not choose peace and have suffered.
I would love to see such a position taken by Muslims and Islamic nations, the day that happens, we will see a peaceful Muslim world moving towards the light.Recommend

Gurion

“A bunch of suicide bombers claiming to be “Muslims” hijacked a plane that eventually crashed into the Twin Towers”

~Isn’t anybody who recited the “kalima” a muslim, as per Mohammed’s own words?
Besides, ever read about the “No true Scotsman” logical fallacy?

“Hitler was a terrorist who committed genocide and killed millions of Jews; he was a Christian” and “George W Bush invaded Iraq and killed thousands of people for a purpose only he can justify. He was a Christian as well”

~Somehow, in this case, They are not simply people who are “claiming to be Christians”?

If you are a Jew, you might feel justified in “hating” the Christians. But you are not and you are hiding behind atrocities committed upon Jews to escape responsibility. Timur killed 17 million Asian and European peasants to propagate Islam. How far back in history do we want to go? Let us not even go into what the Turkic and Mughal invaders did in the subcontinent. The Ottoman empire wasn’t built on sweet-talking. Don’t play the victim all of the time.Recommend

Jayman

“…just as Hitler’s actions do not justify any person blaming it on Christianity.”
Why do Muslims piggy-back on the atrocities committed on Jews? Every Muslim state with a military has threatened Israel with extinction at one time or another. Some made their peace out of expediency and the realization that the Jewish state was far too powerful. Hitler never used religion as a basis for his conquests. He couldn’t care less. These terrorists use religion to further their goals and their cadre come from ordinary Muslim households. They get their indoctrination not from underground mosques but mainstream ones. Nobody bothers to report those clerics to authorities.Recommend

Equality and Justice

All these Anti-Muslim Nazis who are posting here want to kill all Muslims in world and that is why they do propaganda against Muslims 24×7, Just go to any online comment section world you will find these Nazis, These Nazis were responsible for Iraq war, these Nazis were responsible for coup in Egypt, these Nazis are responsible for bombing of innocents in middle east. these nazis are no different from ISIS terrorists.Recommend

I dont think any body hates Islam for terrorism, they certainly hate muslims who are caught in act. When Hitler unleashed the evil nobody blamed christianity but “Nazis” because that is what the Hitler represented. These terrorists represents muslims. And what are liberal, moderate and sensible muslims doing about it ? just writing articles ? In a way so called non terrorist muslims are part of terrorism when you do not dare to rein in the extremists amongst you who brainwash your kids. How else do you explain a Belgian and French muslim who grew up in Belgium and France, had a good life, suddenly decided to kill random civilians in cowardly way in name of his religion or cause. Why is it never a Hindu or Jew or Buddhist caught in such act ? Why is no muslim asking this question to themselves rather being defensive and writing articles which will do no good since the act of fellow muslims overshadows the words of genuinely good ones.Recommend

Parvez

This was a emotional but a rather simplistic blog. All those involved in these crimes are Muslims, the faith they claim to follow is Islam……the way they choose to understand it. To debunk their view and prove them wrong you need to explain what their view is, what is its end objective and why is it wrong.Recommend

Brutus

Oh, yea, yea! Anti-Muslim Nazis were totally responsible for instigating, forcing innocent/pious/god fearing, holy Muslims to perpetuate 9/11 and kill more than 3,000 Kafirs , although, Saddam in Iraq, Mullah Umar in Afghanistan, Qaddafi in Libya, Hosni Mubarak in Egypt and surely your good old Musharraf in Pakistan, were still hale & hearty and ruling their respective holy lands invariably unchallenged!
And, dear boy, no Anti-Muslim Nazi is killing or intend to kill any Muslim, the truth, and more than that, the problem is, a large section of Muslims (some openly and some secretly) not only want non-Muslims killed, but also wish them enslaved, albeit in their fantasies. If Muslims don’t stop their pursuit of this foolish utopian dream quickly, then, I am afraid, your Anti-Muslim Nazi fiction could really became a horrendous reality for the whole Muslim world!Recommend

Rajiv

One thing is sure – the author belongs to minority community in CanadaRecommend

https://twitter.com/shoaib_112 Mirza Shoaib Ahmad Jarral

some bad eggs who pretend to be Muslim, even the Muslims are not protected because of them, do you really think they belong to us?
So mature of you.Recommend

https://twitter.com/shoaib_112 Mirza Shoaib Ahmad Jarral

Ooh Gosh…0.000001% cant be reflection of biggest community of the world..or can they?Recommend

https://twitter.com/shoaib_112 Mirza Shoaib Ahmad Jarral

it will be Ok! if you blame your own Govt. and your entire western politicians who feed those JINNS.Recommend

https://twitter.com/shoaib_112 Mirza Shoaib Ahmad Jarral

LOL You are so funny. The last line you wrote “Watching and laughing on west” made my day.Recommend

Jor El

Forgive my lack of sense of humour, but i see nothing funny in what @19640909rk has written …Recommend

Gul,h

You have hit the nail, the hypocrisy and lies that we use to avoid the reality…yes there are lots among us who have intolerance more than any other sect. The media too keeps avoiding this truth..there is hatred for other communities even among moderate Muslims sad but true…Recommend

shaunthebrummie

we need a new hitler to sort out the terrorist problem….but putin will doRecommend

shaunthebrummie

yes..the 0.000001% are terrorists who openly admit their hate of the west and want to destroy it…these people though horrible are at least honest…the other 99.99999% are dishanest and cowardly as they approve in silence what the terrorists do…all muslims and islam are incompatible in the west..we should be readying for a cultural war in europe..and making sure the muslims are watched so when it happens we go straight in and destroy the majority and kick the rest out..Recommend

The common excuse like the blogger use that violators/ terrorist has no religion . yesterday news of Mali where muslim named gunmen attacked Hotel Radisson ( a favourite of foreigners) and made 170 persons hostage ( 27 killed). They freed those hostage could recite the Quranic verse. What does it indicate . simple attack and kill non Muslims. Blogger and the likes are either disillusioned people but not the others.Recommend

Jor El

not that i agree with u, but putin is a far cry from hitler …Recommend

Faulitics

Ah.. Saudi Arabia and turkey are “western”. Learnt something from you today. I am sure these countries are not Muslim too.Recommend

LS

It is not 0.000001% it is close to 4-5% who support these terrorist organizations across the world. There have been many pew research surveys or Gallup polls to prove that.

here are some samples: This one only talks about 11 countries…. Look at Pakistan only 28% oppose ISIS. The funny thing is 62% are on fence!! What is there to be confused about ISIS?? Why would you say don’t know? I think log of people who say “Don’t Know” are closet supporters who do not want to admit that they support ISIS.

It is also funny that most Muslims across the world do not respect the local government and want Sharia Law in the land they live irrespective of the country… Which means that even though the people who say do not support the terrorists actually support the policies and rules they implement on the citizens, thus implicitly supporting terrorism and anti-democratic policies. So today if Sharia law was to be implemented world over without bloodshed more than 50-60% would support that…

Why don’t these elements come from other religions? I haven’t heard in recent times a terrorist organization of any other faith that has been attacking with Guns and ammunition across the world… Only Muslims seem to do that.Recommend

Jayman

In every single nation they migrate to, they form ghettos, demand Sharia and in nations like UK, there are even no-go areas for the locals !!Recommend

Fair Reforms

That too when they practice what is written in Islamic texts. Either you deplore and condemn the writings or admit they are Muslims. You cant have the cake and eat it tooRecommend

Fair Reforms

You mean to say those who practice the writtings from Koran and Hadith are not Muslims and you are a great Muslim?? Which books are the true Muslims supposed to follow? It is not the west who wrote to treat other faiths as infedels and wage jihad. Why can’t you be honest for a change?Recommend

When they deplore its a hogwash, when in Minority they remind everyone of Democracy and people’s rights in western countries and once in significant Majority they start talking about Sharia Law like in UK, Belgium, France, US… India etc..Recommend

LS

Its not my problem if you cannot read or understand. Its 9% with 62% on fence (Most probably supporting them implicitly since they did not want to commit to it). This is just one organization ISIS. Now add 100s of terrorist organizations in the mix… It becomes well over 9% of people supporting terrorist organizations in Pakistan.

You know what..they say ” when Jacob kills someone then its Jacob but when Bilal kills someone its Muslim community and terrorist.” isn’t it?
Hitler was Muslim? or part of ISIS ?
there are thousands example which i can set for Non-Muslims. but its not my point.
point is Islam is a Religion and preacher of it called Muslims. But Islam itself Condemn the brutality and killing of Human being. You know what Islam says ” a killing of single human being is murder of Humanity”. the Bad eggs belongs to Evilness not from any community. they can be from your side they can be from anywhere, but that doesn’t make any sense if i start blaming whole community on their behalf.you should see first if there is So-Called Muslim and causes Terror or panic so do we support him? if any of your side kills someone,will you support? NO you and i will never compromise on that. same as those who are doing this wrong, they don’t belong to any religion, they don’t belong to any community and they are not even worth of being called Human Being.Hope so you would understand now.Recommend

So you think a world renowned polling agency which went to these countries to conduct the polls are wrong? On what basis? It would have made sense if you would have questioned sampling… but you have nothing to add. Shows the delusional pakis.. Take it when it suites you and reject it when it does not… Countless pakis would not hesitate to quote Pew research citing Islam is fastest growing religion…

I would say Wikipedia and Pew research are more credible than Pakistani history and literature.Recommend